Author: Press Room
More than 40,000 LSD tabs were intercepted in Auckland last week by a joint police and Customs operation — marking one of New Zealand’s largest-ever seizures of the psychedelic drug.Four search warrants were executed across the region under Operation Spin by the National Organised Crime Group, resulting in the discovery of 40,800 LSD tabs with a street value of more than a million dollars.Sheets of LSD tabs adorned with sc-fi motifs. (Source: NZ Police)Detective Senior Sergeant Reece Sirl said it was the largest quantity of LSD for New Zealand located in the possession of one person.”LSD is a potent psychoactive…
ADVERTISEMENT French President Emmanuel Macron announced on social media on 24 July that France will recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Macron shared his letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in an X post, alongside a statement which read: “The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is up to us, the French, together with the Israelis, the Palestinians, and our European and international partners, to demonstrate that it is possible.” France will become the first G7 country and the first permanent member of the UN Security Council (France, United States,…
Two meteor showers will light up the dark skies on Tuesday night, but whether the forecast will allow Kiwis to gaze upon the stars is an entirely different story.Southern delta-Aquarids and alpha-Capricornids will peak at the same time late tomorrow night until the the early hours of Wednesday morning.Stargazes should be able see 10 to 20 meteorites every hour of the Southern delta-Aquarids meteor, while it’s rare to see more than five of the alpha-Capricornids in any one hour, but it can appear as bright as any star.This is expected be most visible between midnight and 1am, as the radiant…
Published on 28/07/2025 – 15:10 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT US President Donald Trump said on Monday he is to reduce the 50-day deadline he previously set for Russia to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine, highlighting his growing frustration with the ongoing all-out war, now well into its fourth year. “I’m disappointed in President Putin,” Trump said in comments alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. “I’m going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen.” “I’ve spoken to President Putin a lot,…
Police investigating a robbery at a Whangārei bar on Friday night have arrested a 35-year-old man. Separately, Whangārei police said they have also recovered a firearm allegedly used in the Kensington Avenue bar raid. Detective Senior Sergeant Michelle Harris said investigators worked throughout the weekend after the 10pm armed robbery, “culminating in a police operation being executed outside an Okara Drive business this afternoon”. Police earlier said shots were fired into the ceiling of the bar and a patron was assaulted during the heist.A man was subsequently taken into custody and faced “serious charges” in Whangārei District Court tomorrow. “Our investigators have worked some serious…
A Waikato police officer’s speed and driving, which contributed to a crash while responding to an urgent callout, was “unnecessarily risky” and breached police policy, an investigation has found.The investigation, undertaken by New Zealand Police but overseen by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), initially recommended criminal charges be laid, but further witness statements shifted the focus to another driver’s actions.The police officer was responding to a request for assistance from a colleague in an unsafe situation and had their lights and sirens on as they travelled westbound on a road with a speed limit of 60km/h.As cars moved left…
By Euronews Published on 28/07/2025 – 12:04 GMT+2 •Updated 12:56 Key diary dates Tuesday 29 July: Meeting of the EU Council’s trade policy committee. Tuesday 29-Wednesday 30 July: Meetings of the EU Council’s ad hoc working group on the EU long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework. Saturday 2 August: EU rules on general purpose artificial intelligence enter into force. In spotlight ADVERTISEMENT As the EU institutions pause activity for the summer, the EU Council continues to see some behind the scenes activity this week on two key issues: US trade and the EU’s long term budget. If early reactions to the deal…
Gloriavale leader Howard Temple has been accused of touching girls as young as nine on their legs, backs, and bottoms. The 85-year-old is facing 24 charges of indecent assault against nine female complainants at the Greymouth District Court. Three further charges were withdrawn.The offending was alleged to have taken place between 1998 and 2022, when the complainants were aged between nine and 20. Temple has pleaded not guilty.Overseeing Shepherd, Howard Temple, on 24 charges including committing an indecent act on a young person and indecent assault. (Source: 1News)Crown prosecutor Kerry White told the court that primary school-aged girls would be…
Published on 28/07/2025 – 12:49 GMT+2 ADVERTISEMENT A landslide likely caused Sunday’s deadly train crash in the German town of Biberach as a result of heavy rain, German police said. A preliminary investigation revealed that the train derailed and struck a mass of earth that collapsed onto the tracks. Three people were killed, including the driver and a rail company employee, and about 50 people were injured in the crash, 25 of whom were seriously injured, according to regional authorities. Ten people were flown by helicopter to Ulm’s University Hospital for treatment. Around 100 people were on board the train…
Economic uncertainty and rising costs have been cited as reasons for fewer cruise ships planning to visit Kaikōura this summer.Just five cruise ships were scheduled to visit Kaikōura during December, January and February, down from 11 last summer and 16 in summer 2023/24.”There’s lots of reasons. Global uncertainty, government changes and it has led to less cruise ships planning to come this season,” Destination Kaikōura manager Lisa Bond said.”But everything has a cycle. This year we are down to five but, in two years, we might be back to 13.”She said cruise ship companies planned their schedules 18 months or…